Systems and methods for displaying information regions in an interactive electronic program guide

• US 7,421,724 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Schein, Steven, Klosterman, Brian Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US10/251,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,174 Days
• Field of Search: 725 40- 43, 725/51, 725/58
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an advertisement in an interactive electronic program guide (IPG) comprising:

displaying, in a first area of the display, a first television program listing corresponding to a first television program and a second television program listing corresponding to a second television program;

displaying advertisement information in an interactive advertisement region next to the first area, wherein the displayed advertisement information changes from a first advertisement to a second advertisement as a cursor is moved by a user from the first television program listing to the second television program listing, wherein the second advertisement, displayed while the cursor is positioned over the second television program listing, corresponds to a television program other than the second television program;

positioning the cursor over the advertisement region and receiving a user selection of the advertisement region over which the cursor is positioned; and

providing, responsive to the user selection of the advertisement region, a display of information about the television program being advertised in the advertisement region, said display including a tune option that allows the user to tune to the television program being advertised without recording the television program and a record option that allows the user to record the television program being advertised.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising connecting to a product supplier and ordering a product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the display including the tune option further comprising allowing the user to schedule an autotuning to an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the display including the record option further comprises allowing the user to record an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the display including the tune option further comprising allowing the user to tune to an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an icon allowing the user to obtain more information about a product advertised in the advertisement region when the icon is selected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying the advertisement information about a pay-per-view program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying the advertisement information about a future television program.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying the advertisement information about a merchandise.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying the advertisement information promoting a website.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprises accessing the website and displaying data from the website.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprises displaying in a second area the data from the website at the same time a television program that the user was viewing before accessing the website is displayed in a third area.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying advertisement information only during the times when the user is more likely to be watching the IPG.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying animation.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying a video clip about the television program.

16. An interactive electronic program guide (IPG) system comprising:

a display monitor;

a storage medium for storing information about a plurality of television program listings;

a display processor for displaying, in a first area of the display, a first television program listing corresponding to a first television program and a second television program listing corresponding to a second television program;

means for displaying advertisement information in interactive advertisement region next to the first area, wherein the displayed advertisement information changes from a first advertisement to a second advertisement as a cursor is moved by a user from the first television program listing to the second television program listing, wherein the second advertisement, displayed while the cursor is positioned over the second television program listing, corresponds to a television program other than the second television program;

means for positioning the cursor over the advertisement region and receiving a user selection of the advertisement region over which the cursor is positioned; and

means for providing, responsive to the user selection of the advertisement region, a display of information about the television program being advertised in the advertisement region, said display including a tune option that allows the user to tune to the television program being advertised without recording the television program being advertised and a record option that allows the user to record the television program being advertised.

17. The IPG system of claim 16 further comprising means for connecting to a product supplier and ordering a product.

18. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing the display including the tune option further comprises means for allowing the user to schedule an autotuning to an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.

19. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing the display including the tune option further comprises means for allowing the user to record an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.

20. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the means for providing the display including the tune portion comprises means for allowing the user to tune to an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.

21. The IPG system of claim 16, further comprising means for displaying an icon allowing the user to obtain more information about a product advertised in the advertisement region when the icon is selected.

22. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the advertisement is about a pay-per-view program.

23. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the advertisement is about a future television program.

24. The IPG system of claim 16, further comprising means for displaying advertisement information about a merchandise.

25. The IPG system of claim 16, further comprising means for displaying advertisement information promoting a website.

26. The IPG system of claim 25 further comprising means for accessing the website and displaying data form the website.

27. The IPG system of claim 26 further comprising means for displaying in a second area the data from the website at the same time a television program that the user was viewing before accessing the website is displayed in a third area.

28. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the advertisement information is displayed only during the times when the user is more likely to be watching the IPG.

29. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the advertisement information comprises animation.

30. The IPG system of claim 16, wherein the advertisement comprises a video clip about the television program.

31. A method of displaying an advertisement in an interactive electronic program guide (IPG) comprising:

displaying, in a first area of the display, a first television program listing corresponding to a first television program, where a cursor is positioned over the first television program listing;

displaying promotional information in a region next to the first area;

displaying an advertisement in an interactive advertisement region different from the promotional information region, wherein the advertisement is displayed simultaneously with both the first television program listing and the promotional information, and wherein the advertisement, displayed while the cursor is positioned over the first television program listing, corresponds to a television program other than the first television program;

positioning the cursor over the advertisement region and receiving a user selection of the advertisement region over which the cursor is positioned; and

providing, responsive to the user selection of the advertisement region, a display of information about the television program being advertised in the advertisement region, said display including a tune option that allows the user to tune to the television program being advertised without recording the television program and a record option that allows the user to record the television program being advertised.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising changing the advertisement as a cursor is moved by the user to a second television program listing corresponding to a second television program.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising displaying an icon allowing the user to obtain more information about a product advertised in the advertisement region when the icon is selected.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the displaying the advertisement further comprises displaying an advertisement about a pay-per-view program.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the displaying the advertisement further comprises displaying an advertisement about a future television program.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the displaying the advertisement information further comprises displaying advertisement information about a merchandise.

37. The method of claim 31 further comprising accessing a website and ordering a product form the website.

38. An interactive electronic program guide (IPG) system comprising:

means for displaying, in a first area of the display, a television program listing corresponding to a first television program, where a cursor is positioned over the first television program listing;

means for displaying promotional information in a region next to the first area;

means for displaying an advertisement in an interactive advertisement region different form the promotional information region, wherein the advertisement is displayed simultaneously with both the first television program listing and the promotional information, and wherein the advertisement, displayed while the cursor is positioned over the first television program listing, corresponds to a television program other than the first television program;

means for positioning the cursor over the advertisement region and receiving a user selection of the advertisement region over which the cursor is positioned; and

means for providing, responsive to the user selection of the advertisement region, a display of information about the television program being advertised in the advertisement region, said display including a tune option that allows the user to tune to the television program being advertised without recording the television program and a record option that allows the user to record the television program being advertised.

39. The IPG system of claim 38 further comprising means for connecting to a product supplier and ordering a product.

40. The IPG system of claim 38, wherein the means for providing the display including the tune option further comprises means for allowing the user to schedule an autotuning to an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.

41. The IPG system of claim 38 wherein the means for providing the display including the record option further comprises means for allowing the user to record an infomercial being advertised in the advertisement region.